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Florida football: Five possible bowl opponents for the Gators

By Sean Doty

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 16: Wide receiver Josh Hammond #10 of the Florida Gators catches a touchdown pass against safety Joshuah Bledsoe #18 of the Missouri Tigers in the third quarter at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 16: Wide receiver Josh Hammond #10 of the Florida Gators catches a touchdown pass against safety Joshuah Bledsoe #18 of the Missouri Tigers in the third quarter at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 07: Bryce Perkins #3 of the Virginia Cavaliers drops back to pass against the Clemson Tigers during the ACC Football Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 07: Bryce Perkins #3 of the Virginia Cavaliers drops back to pass against the Clemson Tigers during the ACC Football Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 07, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

1. Virginia Cavaliers

Bowl: Orange Bowl

Path to Matchup: LSU wins SEC championship, Ohio State wins Big Ten championship, and Clemson wins ACC championship.

Why Florida Fans Should Want This: Among these five potential opponents, the Cavaliers are quite possibly the least intimidating amongst the group.

In his fourth season in Charlottesville, Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall recorded a 9-3 regular-season record and delivered the program its first Coastal division title. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers face conference juggernaut Clemson as 28-point underdogs.

Entering Saturday the Cavaliers have a .500 record against ranked teams, with their lone ranked win coming at home last week against in-state rival Virginia Tech.

Part of Virginia’s success this season has come from its defense, which is ranked inside the top 30 nationally. In terms of points allowed, the Cavaliers are surrendering less than 24 points per game this season. Virginia is also allowing less than 125 yards rushing per game, which ranks inside the top 25 nationally.

Both of these programs have met only once before, with Florida football blowing out the Cavaliers 55-10 back in 1959.

While there may not be much prestige with this matchup itself, the idea of playing in the Orange Bowl should be something Florida fans relish.

Should Florida football receive the Orange Bowl bid, it would be the first time the Gators have played in this bowl game since their last national championship in 2009.

With the Orange Bowl being the only bowl game located in the state of Florida, this bowl game would predominantly serve as a postseason home game for the Gators. The Orange Bowl itself scheduled to be played just five days after Christmas, tickets for the game can make a great Christmas present for all Gator nation families living within driving distance of Miami.

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Probability: Favorable. Without any upsets taking place among the top three ranked teams in the college football playoff ranking today, the Gators will be headed to just their third Orange Bowl appearance in the last 20 years based on this week’s ranking.

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